The Gift of Time
Jaquet Droz reinvents modern luxury with timepieces created not for the many, but for the one. By Anandhi Gopinath
There are gifts we buy, and then there are gifts we create for ourselves. A watch that carries our story on its dial belongs firmly in the latter category — and at Jaquet Droz, that idea has become the foundation of an entirely new era.
Over the past few years, the storied Swiss maison, part of the Swatch Group, has undergone one of the most dramatic transformations in contemporary watchmaking. Under the leadership of CEO Alain Delamuraz, Jaquet Droz has stepped away from the familiar world of boutiques and glass counters to become something far more intimate: a creator of bespoke, high-art mechanical pieces made exclusively for the discerning few.
The shift is significant. Jaquet Droz has discontinued its accessible collections — including the well-loved Grande Seconde — and now produces only one-of-a-kind, six-figure watches. These pieces often involve miniature painting, hand-engraving, automata, music, or other métiers d’art that blur the line between watchmaking and sculpture.
Gone too is the traditional retail structure. The maison now works entirely through direct, personalised commissions, supported by a small circle of trusted ambassadors around the world. In Malaysia, this experience is offered through Swiss Watch, one of the very few partners entrusted with connecting clients to the brand’s inner circle.
Annual production has been reduced from thousands of watches to fewer than a hundred, each one crafted collaboratively between artisan and client. Jaquet Droz no longer measures itself against fellow watchmakers — today, its peers are ultra-luxury creators like bespoke yacht builders, supercar ateliers, and private jet designers. In other words, it competes only where imagination is the currency.
“It is a return to what Pierre Jaquet-Droz did in the 18th century,” Delamuraz explains. “He created extraordinary objects for the royal courts of Europe — pieces that expressed individuality and emotion. We are doing the same today, but for today’s kings and queens.”
A CEO shaped by hospitality
Delamuraz’s view of luxury is shaped by an unexpected background. Before he entered watchmaking, he studied hotel management and became one of Switzerland’s youngest general managers when he helmed the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne.
“Respect the customer. Don’t cheat, don’t lie, and be welcoming,” he says simply — a philosophy he carries into his leadership at Jaquet Droz. “In hospitality, I learned what it means to truly welcome people. Today, we welcome them into the manufacture.” This hospitality mindset defines the brand’s new identity. There are no standard retail visits, no transactional appointments. Instead, clients meet artisans directly, often through immersive “phygital” sessions that combine digital visualisation with hands-on craftsmanship. And when the watch is finally complete, the unboxing becomes a ceremony — sometimes a private event, sometimes delivered personally by Delamuraz.
Where Imagination Becomes Mechanical Art
It is this insight that drives the brand today. Every Jaquet Droz today begins with a question: what do you want your watch to say?
Some clients choose poetic simplicity — a dial painted with a beloved landscape, a motif from childhood, or an animal that holds personal meaning. Others opt for theatre: birds that move, scenes that animate at the press of a pusher, or a minute repeater whose chimes change the atmosphere of a room.
One collector asked for his favourite phrase, “one more!”, engraved discreetly onto his caseback. A musician requested a sculpted microphone and guitar. A Saudi client’s cherished camel was immortalised in miniature. “The pillars of the brand are now the pillars of the customer,” Delamuraz says. “There are no limits to creativity.”
The atelier now produces around 50 watches a year, each averaging half a million Swiss francs. “We used to make 4,000 pieces,” he says. “Now we make fewer, but each one means more.” He encourages his artisans to “take the time to lose their time” — a poetic reminder that beauty cannot be rushed.
Luxury That Lasts Beyond A Lifetime
In a world obsessed with resale value and secondary-market speculation, Jaquet Droz positions itself with refreshing clarity. “You do not buy from us with the idea of selling in two years,” Delamuraz says, smiling. “If you ask about investment, I will tell you to go to the bank and buy a financial product.” A Jaquet Droz, in other words, is not for flipping — it is for keeping. And one day, for passing on.
This is a maison that views time not as something to measure, but as something to transmit. A bespoke creation becomes a memory in metal, enamel, gold, or song. It holds meaning long after trends fade. “In the end,” Delamuraz says softly, “luxury becomes personal when it is lived with… and then given to the next generation.”
As Jaquet Droz reshapes its identity around emotion, artistry, and individuality, it invites collectors to rethink what a watch can be. And perhaps, in this season of giving, the most meaningful gift you can choose is the one you craft for yourself — the gift of time, made personal.
